


Reset and Reflect

by PolarGrizz47



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hive magic, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Resetting of exos, Taken Corruption, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 10:48:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16448450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PolarGrizz47/pseuds/PolarGrizz47
Summary: Finally free, Cayde stepped away, adjusting his hold on Milo to give him proper care. Milo was chilled in his hands, stiff and dead. But Romea was not, and Cayde couldn’t help but hope.





	Reset and Reflect

**Author's Note:**

> Follows actual events of Milo's lore. He's an idiot, but he's Cayde's idiot.   
> Italics are dreams/flashbacks.

“I’m starting to think that we should’ve stayed at the Tower,” Romea croaked inside of his suit, her voice ringing in his ears as he stumbled away from the deceased Taken Hive Knight, his helmet cracked and vision blurred from the hit of the sword.

Milo licked the blood from his nose and shook his head, leaning into a nearby Hive structure to catch his senses. “Yeah, I am too…” He whispered, wondering if he’d ever make it home again. Perhaps he had been too hasty in his desire to run away from the pain...

The Hunter deftly began to reload his hand cannon, eyes narrowed as he took in all the movement around his HUD and his limited vision. It was too risky to have Romea out and lighting the area, so he was bathed in the pitch black of the Hive breeding pit. It wasn’t alive anymore, long ago it had been corrupted by the Darkness that was the Taken, but it still was filled with danger. 

He’d been called in to clear the nest out, but it was proving to be too much of a task for one Guardian such as himself. Despite his age and his obvious skill, Milo could not keep up with the sheer amount of enemies that plagued this hallowed ground. 

“Tell the Corsairs that they must contact the Tower -- find more Guardians --” Milo jumped back as a horde of Taken Thrall rose from the ground, screeching at him and reaching with their shadow limbs. “This is far too organized to just be a case of random corruption…” 

“To your left --” Romea warned, flinching as Milo’s shields exploded with a crackle of static, the shadow Thrall screeching with delight. He rolled back, vanishing into a puff of smoke as he backtracked. “This is bad,” She whispered, voice hushed. 

“I know,” Milo muttered, tossing a timed smoke grenade at his feet as he continued to crawl his back up the way he’d come. “I must tell the Sov’s that this land is --”

There was a loud roar, old and Ascendant, and the Guardian paused as a Taken Ogre stepped out of the darkness. It’s footsteps shook the surrounding area, and its ugly green eye landed on his form right as his invisible glimmer faded. 

Milo slid across the ground as the creature fired up its eye blaster, pelting the ground with Taken energy that snapped at Milo’s light and Romea’s creation. He gasped in pain as a particular bolt brushed his back, leaving an icy cold sensation of agony crawling over his skin. Skidding into cover behind a large, jagged bolder, Milo hunkered down and felt the tremors of the Ogre pelting the stone relentlessly. It shook the ground under their feet, the sheer size and power of it. 

“You know, times like these are when I miss Azuc and Vaya,” He grumbled, checking over his ammunition. Romea stayed silent, mentally counting over how many rounds her Hunter had on hand. 

It was looking bleak.

Milo grinned, tapped his knee with his hand cannon and smiled despite the odds. “Broadcast to the Corsairs. Tell them that the Vanguard will clean up this mess --”

“Watch out!”

A Taken Knight lunged on top of the stone, fracturing it under its weight as it grabbed Milo by the back of the cloak and hefted him up. The Hunter spun and dug a blade into the creature’s throat, spilling its corrupt blood everywhere. The beast screeched and toppled backward, dragging Milo with it, back into a horde of awaiting Thrall and the all-consuming eye of the Ogre.

The Hunter laughed wildly, filled with terror and exhilaration. He pulled back a bow made of pure void light and he lit the place up with the sounds of carnage and agony howling over the broadcast. It ended suddenly, with a loud crunch and a roar of a victorious Ogre. 

-:-

_ “Are you gonna be okay?” Milo whispered as they sat in the medical bay of the Tower, tucked away in their own little corner with ratty, blue sheets blocking anyone’s sight of them. _

_ Cayde-5 blinked, his eyes flickering as he struggled to focus. “I… I think so,” He managed, squeezing at his lover’s hand. “Yeah, I’ll be just fine.” _

_ “And you --” The night stalker bit his lower lip and turned his head away, “Nevermind.” _

_ “Hey,” Cayde gently ran his hand up Milo’s arm, over his shoulder and cradled his cheek delicately, turning his face towards him so their eyes could meet. “I’m not going to forget you. Can’t forget you, Milo,” He assured in a soft voice, leaning forward to put their foreheads together. _

_ They sat like that for a long moment, holding each other's hands, enjoying the moment. Milo held onto the memory like a precious stone, unsure if Cayde-5 was going to be right. Maybe he’d never remember this. _

_ He had prepared himself for that, of course.  _

_ Tried to, anyway. _

-:-

Cayde-6 boredly flipped through his scout reports, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. A long moment passed as he skimmed his fingers over an old, worm handwritten report. The edges of the page were torn, as if somebody had ripped it from a journal, shoved it into a pocket and hastily scribbled a note. 

Despite this, the Hunter Vanguard smiled at the old note, privately glancing around to make sure he was alone. Zavala didn’t like him being distracted. Ikora didn’t like the way this note made him feel. They both didn’t want him lingering on a past that he remembered, a past that had vanished into thin air. 

“Alright, Milo, give me a sign,” He muttered, reading over the faded text again and again. 

‘ _ Cayde. It’s Milo. I know you don’t remember me. _

_ But I needed to tell you this… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You mean so much to me, too much, and that's why I can’t… Cayde-5 and I were lovers. Yeah, a little shocking, I know. Cayde-6, you didn’t remember me and it kills me to look into your eyes and not see anything familiar shining back in them. _

_ I’m a weak man. _

_ But I’m a strong guardian.  _

_ I’ll be gone before morning. _

_ May your light guide you home. _

_ And if you remember me one day… trust your gut. You’ll find me. _

_ Always yours, _

_ Milo.’  _

Milo had gone dark years ago. The Vanguard hadn’t heard a peep from him, or Romea. Even Andal couldn’t turn up anything after many in-depth patrols. It was almost if Milo never existed. 

Rumors spread like crazy. Some said he went to the Dreaming City. Other’s say that he was killed in the Ascendant plane. Fewer say that he’s out prowling the solar system.

Most say that he’s dead.

Died of a broken heart.

Cayde clenches his jaw and ignores the way his heart lurches painfully at that idea. Milo -  _ his Milo _ \- was too stubborn to die. 

And if he did get himself killed well… Cayde would bring him home, lay him to rest with the other Guardians that were lost in action.

He owed Milo that much.

Owed his own heart that much.

Sitting around the Tower, twiddling his thumbs, was driving him crazy. He needed that spark back, that wild ambition that he was rumored to have… he needed Milo.

Glancing at Amanda, Cayde tapped his fingers to the note once again before folding it up delicately and hiding it against his chest. “Hang on, Milo,” He muttered to himself, “I’ll find you before you get yourself into any more trouble.”

Strolling up to the shipmaster with a grin and a double finger gun, the Hunter Vanguard gleefully announced, “Amanda, I’d love to call in a favor ya owe me!” 

-:-

_ If Cayde-6 didn’t remember him, Milo would throw himself into his work. Probably explore Io, see what the Traveler had in store for him. Might go dig up Mars, find the leftover guts of Rasputin and rip it apart for playing such a cruel game with his heart. _

_ He would… go the Reef? He would…explore… something ... _

_ He didn’t know what he’d do. _

_ Finally, Cayde pulled away and smiled. “See you on the other side, yeah?” _

_ “ _ **_Yeah_ ** _ ,” Milo managed, ignoring how tight his throat was. “I’ll be right here when you wake up, promise.” _

_ He got up from Cayde’s bed, glancing once to Sundance and bowing his head before he and Romea solemnly walked out of the small space. A few fellow exo Guardians let him pass with looks of assurance and calm before they walked into Cayde’s room and closed the curtain behind them. _

_ Unable to sit still, or listen to the sound of metal and wiring, Milo found himself pacing the Tower. He walked past Shaxx, only able to nod, his throat was far too tight to fully speak to the Crucible Handler. Shaxx merely returned the nod for Milo, slowly, in understanding.  _

_ Rounding the corner, Milo made his way down to the market area, into the main Tower hub. He passed civilians numbly, idly bought a few treats that Cayde enjoyed, and then found himself walking numbly towards a more secluded part of the Tower. It was their special little spot. Hidden from most civilians and high up enough to give them a clear, undisturbed view of the Traveler. _

_ It took a bit more skill to climb it alone, without Cayde, but Milo managed. He curled up on the top of the lookout, watching the city down below.  _

_ Romea was quiet, bobbing by his shoulder and radiating a comforting light to keep the fear at bay. But only just. _

_ With a sniffle, he tore into a bag of goodies he’d bought, popping a few into his mouth. They were sweet and hard, and he sucked on them angrily, staring at the Traveler orbiting innocently in the sky. He made a face at it. _

_ “You just think you’re  _ **_real_ ** _ funny, huh?” He spat through his mouthful, “Deleting Cayde like that.” The Hunter sat for hours, waiting for any news on his lover. His thoughts of worry and unease consumed him. _

_ Maybe if Cayde didn’t remember him, he could vanish. Slip away into the skyline and never look back. He could test the limits of his light, perhaps. Or he could test the limits of his own moral. _

_ All the while he glared at the Traveler, wondering what being a Guardian actually meant these days.  _

_ Glorified by the people and yet shunned all the same. Steadfast warriors or adrenaline junkies with a deathwish? Heroes or simply plunderers of treasure? _

_ What was he… where did he stand? _

_ Where did the Guardian’s stand even - in the battle of light and dark… _

_ What if there wasn’t even a battle? _

_ What if he -- _

_ “Figured I’d find you here,” Andal’s voice startled Milo out of his pessimistic thoughts. The two Hunters stared at each other, and Brask jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “They’re done with Cayde.” _

_ Milo’s dark eyes widened and he promptly slid off the edge, landing hard on his feet without a sound of protest. “Thanks, for letting me know…” He gave a final glare towards the Traveler before briskly making his way back. _

_ Brask caught him by the shoulder before he could fully walk away. “I know you’re freaking out. But -” _

_ “But  _ **_nothing_ ** _ ,” Milo hissed, shaking his head. “I’ve already made my choice. You know that.” _

_ “Cayde wouldn’t want you to leave,” Andal reminded cooly, his eyes creased with worry. “Nobody wants you to leave.” _

_ “I can’t just sit there and watch him if he -- If Cayde doesn’t remember me, then he won’t remember what he would’ve wanted either,” With that, Milo tugged away from Brask and hurried towards the medical center. He found Cayde’s room easily, several exos still packing up their supplies as he slipped in between them. _

_ He had to pause before opening up the curtain, afraid of what he’d see.  _

_ His mind conjured up images of Cayde lying there in a pile of wires and static. Or even worse, with his bio-components leaking everywhere and his circuits on the fritz. _

_ The Hunter ripped open the curtain and let his shoulders slouch with relief when all he saw was Cayde sleeping innocently on the bed, looking as well as he had left him.  _

-:-

Milo had died a lot of deaths. More deaths than he’d like to have, in all honesty. 

Despite being resurrected once again, he wondered if they’d dug themselves too deep into the rough to ever make it back out again.

He awoke with a gasp, sitting up from a pile of shadow Thrall limbs and guts. His armor was coated in the slimy green goo, making his skin crawl as he fought his way out of the limbs. 

“Romea -” He coughed, turned his head, taking in the carnage. “How in the hell did we not die?”

“Your final tether was overcharged, almost brought the entire cavern down on our heads with the explosion,” She remarked, a touch of pride for his actions tinting her smooth voice. “We should get out of here while we still can.”

“Right,” Milo chuckled, slowly getting to his feet and dusting himself off. “Did the signal make it through? We’ll need - did you hear that?”

A low, deep roar sounded from somewhere below them.

The Hunter narrowed his eyes from behind his filthy helmet, wondering why life couldn’t just give him a break for once. 

As if on cue, the shockingly loud sound of approaching Thrall shook the cavern around them. He readied his hand cannon, adjusted his stance and slowly began to back up, picking off the Thrall as they clawed their way from the ground. “So, I’m gonna assume that whatever is making all these Thrall are --” 

The ground seemed to give, sinking under the weight of the overwhelming Thrall and the summoning ritual happening below their feet. “Romea, send out a new message to the Cosairs. Tell them to not come here, it's too dangerous. Petra will understand -- I’ll do my best to clear the worst of them out --  _ shit _ !” 

As the ground crumbled under his feet and dragged him down into the green, dark glowing depths, Milo wondered if this was to be his legacy. The Guardian that loved and lost. The Guardian that perished in the shadow horde. 

The Guardian that never was.

Would they ever find his body?

With a blade in one hand and his hand cannon in the other, Milo tumbled deeper and deeper into the darkness, fighting off the limbs that slashed at his armor and dragged him into the depths. When he finally came to a stop, he was face to face with three giant Taken Knights and a single Witch. 

“Sorry, am I interrupting something?” Milo called out, stabbing a shadow Thrall in the throat and watching it disintegrate in his hands. The Knights grabbed at their weapons, and the Hunter paled once he saw them. 

Long axes with old, worn blades were weighted in their arms. Each Knight bore a single color that shone from their taken forms, one blue, one yellow and the last one red. The Witch cackled above their heads but didn’t attack, as if she was enjoying the show. 

He rolled out of the slicing range of a dozen Thrall, dropping a void grenade at their feet. They vanished into its energy with high pitched screams, and Milo turned his attention to the nearest Knight. 

His last three shots in the chamber rang out, each one smacking against its horned helm. No response, as if the Knight hadn’t even been hit. Not even a flinch.

“Well, that went wonderfully,” Milo quipped nervously, backing up and reloading swiftly. He paused when he realized that this was his last reserve of ammunition. The creature hefted up its axe and slammed it down, the ground quaking under his boots as Milo tumbled to the side to avoid it. He only bumped into another Knight that sent him skidding across the ground with a backhand, the Hunter’s vision blurring as he slammed his head against the ground. 

“Milo!” Romea’s voice echoed in his helmet as blood began to trail down his nose, Milo grinned fearlessly as he forced himself back to his feet. “You can’t possibly think that you can take them alone --”

“I can take out one, at least. Make it easier for the next group that ends up here,” He coughed, looking at each of the slowly approaching Knights and then up to the Witch that was watching them with delight. Though his vision was blurred, he could vaguely make out a purple crystal floating above the ritual. He’d seen that before, years ago, when Hive magic was at its most powerful and Guardian’s were slaughtered like unwilling lambs. 

He suddenly got an idea. A stupid idea. 

Channeling his light and feeling the Void nipping his veins, the Hunter forced himself to move, sprinting past the first two Knights with a dodge. The third one tried to chop him down, narrowly missing his legs as the axe came thundering to the ground. With a snarl, Milo turned before running up the blue one’s lowered axe to climb up its head with three powerful steps and lunge into the air, arms pulling back the shape of a powerful void bow, the arrowhead aimed at the crystal and the Witch’s wicked heart. 

“Romea, if this is the end --”

“It was a pleasure being your Ghost, Milo.”

-:-

“Cayde!” Zavala’s voice boomed through the comm, startling the Hunter Vanguard and Sundance. The two fumbled about the ship, and the exo sighed as he sat at the command console. Finally, he nodded towards Sundance.

“Uh, yeah?” He said, aiming for casual.

The Titan’s voice was heavy and knowing, “Why are you boarding a ship that’s scheduled to leave the city?”

“For uh… resources! Of course, my scouts can’t do everything,” He stressed a laugh that died in his throat at the heavy, saddened sigh Zavala made. 

“Cayde…”

“Hey, no,” The Hunter snapped, pointing his hand towards the main Tower lookout, where Zavala was stationed. “Don’t give me that. I… I deserve to see him again, okay? You and I both know that the stupid amnesia was only temporary and -- and -- and I  _ need _ him, okay?”

A silence stretched between them, Cayde pacing in the ship all the same. 

Finally, Zavala seemed to breathe in deeply. “Let us come with you.”

“What?!” Cayde snapped, pausing to take in his words. His voice quieted, “Wait, you’re serious? You… You’d come and help me find him?”

“We’re a fireteam, Cayde,” Ikora’s voice suddenly sounded through, and he felt himself heat up with embarrassment. 

“Please tell me that I haven’t been on speaker this whole time,” The exo whispered, groaning as suddenly Eris’ voice trickled in.

She spoke firmly, though with a hint of mourning passion, “I have heard reports from the Awoken of a white and golden Guardian running errands to pass the time…” 

Cayde’s heart lurched with excitement, and he threw his hands into the air. “The Reef! That’s gotta be where he’d go -- he -- you remember how he and Azuc did that one thing --”

“Were they both almost died? Yes, I remember.” Zavala growled, standing up straighter. “We should hurry. Had I known that Milo was digging around the Queen’s business, I would’ve put a stop to it a lot sooner.” 

“Team field trip is a go!” Cayde echoed, all smiles to hide the heavy feeling of fear crawling into his circuits. 

-:-

“We have received reports from your Guardian,” Petra said, her voice low and troubled. Cayde wanted to pace, wanted to punch something, wanted to shout. 

Instead, he inclined his head expectantly. “Can we hear them?”

“You won’t like them. Regardless, follow me,” She motioned them deeper into the compound, sending Zavala a scathing look. The two never got along, truly. 

As they walked, they passed several Corsairs. Many stood at attention, some were battered, bandaged and broken. The fighting never stopped on the Reef. Guardians and Awoken alike were struggling in the expansive stretch of rocks and stardust. 

Ikora looked at each of them with a worry brewing in her gut. If this what was it looked like on a daily basis, then she wonders what kind of horrors they would’ve set Milo up against. 

Guardians often acted like a person's trump card, the winning hand. 

Finally, they reached some sort of command center. Glowing stones and technology circled around them in a swirl of orbiting data. 

Petra motioned towards the nearest command Corsair, “Bring up the Guardian’s most recent correspondence.”

Cayde stood still, his eyes on the transmission beacon as the first cackle of static came to life. Then, Milo’s urgent voice filled the air, nervous and yet accepting. 

_ “Tell them to not come here, it's too dangerous.” _

His voice, the anxious lit of it, took Cayde back. Back to fighting with Milo at his side, slaughtering Fallen by the dozens. Back to fighting their way out of a Hive breeding pit. Back to doing something stupid with their sparrows and a long, long cliff jutting out over a methane sea.

_ “I can take out one, at least. Make it easier for the next group that ends up here..”  _ A cough, brittle and aching. 

Cayde’s heart lurched, his fingers twitched. 

Milo didn’t sound too good, not at all his cocky, idiotic self. Not the man who laughed in death’s face and danced just out of reach.

This sounded like a man who was accepting his fate. 

Sounded like the Iron Lords’ final transmissions. 

_ “It was a pleasure being your Ghost, Milo.” _

What followed next was a burst of static, a familiar choked screech of a Witch and the sharp explosion of something like glass. Milo gave a howl of his own, filled with agony and rage and the radio cut sharply, his final haunting sound hanging in the air.

Petra shook her head, eyes downcast. “We received that three days ago.”

“Three days…” Zavala frowned, “Cayde -”

“I’m going to get him back,” The Hunter snapped, his voice raw and pained. “I… Please, I’ll go alone if I have to -”

“You won’t,” Ikora whispered, a delicate and steadying hand landing on the other’s shoulder. “We’ll be here. We’ll bring him home, Cayde. I promise.” 

-:-

_ Milo laughed, breathless and choked as they slouched against the wall of a destroyed Fallen structure. The Kell, largest Cayde had ever seen, was slumped into the ground. Blood flowed from her, the scent of ether was strong on the wind but the duo had long ago gotten used to the smell. _

_ Cayde looked at him, faceplate cracked and throat glowing as he smiled. “Think they’ll write stories about this?”  _

_ “Stories? I want Lord Saladin to make a song about it, a little jitty,” Milo slapped Cayde’s knee fondly, high off the adrenaline of nearly dying, “Maybe Shaxx could even sing along to it, eh?” _

_ “Now, that I’d pay some glimmer to see!” Cayde set his hand atop Milo’s, the two of them falling into a silence as they stared at the Kell.  _

_ She had put up one hell of a battle. Her whole crew had been slaughtered long before she fell. Almost took the two Guardians down with her, a vengeful force of nature up until the brutal, bitter end. _

_ Cayde wondered if it was always going to be like this. _

_ A closer look at Milo’s face showed the cuts and bruises, the haunted look in his eyes and the blood crusting around his left nostril.  _

_ They stared at the giant Kell for a while longer, humbled and perhaps a bit guilty. _

_ They were all just trying to survive, weren’t they? _

_ “We should… probably heal up, eh?” Cayde asked, glancing sideways at Milo and gawking at the red that was pooling around the other Guardian's middle.  _

_ Romea floated by their heads, her eye focused on the Kell. _

_ Finally, Milo’s Ghost spoke, “We like to let the pain settle first. It’s… honorable.” _

_ Cayde blinked, taken aback by such a simple statement.  _

_ He watched Milo closely, how his expression was taut with pain and fatigue, yet his gaze held something else in it. Something that barely flickered beneath the sorrow… respect, perhaps. _

_ Milo always gave too much information away in a single look.  _

_ Spread like an open book, if you knew what you were looking for. _

-:-

“Taken seem to be mostly moped up down here,” Cayde noted as he shot at a few shadow Thrall that were clawing around the rubbish piles. “Milo certainly cleared a path for us.”

Ikora walked ahead of them, her eyes narrowed as she shifted the pulse rifle in her hands. “Yes… But still no signs of Milo, or any pings from Romea…”

For a long while, they traversed deeper and deeper into the corrupted breeding pit, their eyes peeled for any signs of Milo. Finally, as they stepped into a large, cavernous area, they found the evidence they were looking for.

Old void explosions were painted across the walls and the ground, intermixed with the corpses of Taken Hive and shadow Thrall. The ground was brittle below their boots, and as they shone their lights about, the trio paused when they found the main structure failure. 

The ground had sunk in, jagged and crusted with green slime and Taken residue. Claw marks scratched the surface, and it was clear that something - or someone - had been dragged deep into the darkness. 

Exchanging looks of worry and unease, the Vanguard fireteam slowly made their way down, Cayde at the lead with his hand cannon at the ready. What illuminated before him made Cayde’s breath catch in his throat and his heart sink. 

Three Taken Knights were kneeling around a giant crystal, their axes held at their legs and heads bowed. Above them, embedded in the crystal, was a dead Witch. 

Her hands were curled in mid-attack, mouth agape in a final screech and her body skewered with a mixture of void light and the same charged crystal. She was dead, but her body hadn’t been sucked into the black hole that seemed to claim all Taken. 

Instead, she was stuck there, animated even in death, a snapshot in time. 

Above her, held up by the multiple void spikes exiting the crystal, was Milo. He was slouched somewhat, head lolled to the side and arms lax at his side. Hanging like a broken puppet, old blood and Void energy dripping down the length of the spikes. 

Romea was by his side, the left side of her shell pierced, but her optics still intact. 

The chamber was unusually silent as if the Knights too were mourning. 

Cayde broke the silence with a strangled sound, not quite a sob, but not quite a snarl. 

All at once, the Knights came to life. They stood slowly, axes at the ready, and grunted out a warning. 

Ikora and Zavala stood at the ready behind Cayde, their Ghost’s phasing into their bodies. Sundance spun around Cayde’s head, her shell whirling as she seemed to get herself worked up over the sight of the Guardian skewered like a grotesque art piece. 

“Let’s bring Milo home, Cayde,” She managed, voice choked.

Unlike Cayde, she had never forgotten them. 

She had felt their absence deeply.

And for it to end like this… 

Cayde nodded and gave Ace a spin before firing a few high-impact rounds into the closest Knight. 

-:-

After wiping the blood from her brow, Ikora delicately wrapped her fingers around Romea’s shell and began to pull her off the crystal spike. The Ghost was silent, her eye filled with static and her light cold to the touch.

Cayde and Zavala gently pried the shards out of Milo’s shoulder and side, careful not the cause even more damage. When he sagged, unresponsive, Cayde caught him by the shoulder and held him against his chest, a hand tangled in his beautiful cloak. 

“Hey there, wise guy,” The exo managed, voice soft and close to breaking as he supported Milo’s head. The scent of fresh blood was strong in the air, and he bit back his worry as Zavala yanked the remaining crystal out of Milo’s thigh. 

Finally free, Cayde stepped away, adjusting his hold on Milo to give him proper care. Milo was chilled in his hands, stiff and dead. But Romea was not, and Cayde couldn’t help but hope. 

-:-

_ They stood in a long field of waist-high wheat, staring at a tall, dark tower in the distance. It glowed with orange crackles, reminding Cayde of Rasputin’s aurora. _

_ Milo was ahead of him, hands playing in the grass, his head tipped towards the sun, eyes closed and a blissful expression painted across his freckled features. _

_ They were alone. _

_ A cold wind pulled at him, dragging his cloak into the air as Cayde slowly stepped closer. He reached a hand out, hovering above Milo’s shoulder, unsure if it was right to even interrupt Milo when he was smiling so happily.  _

_ Finally, the need to feel Milo won out.  _

_ His gloved hand gently came down, a thumb brushing through the nape of Milo’s neck, feeling the curl of soft hair against the leather.  _

_ Milo laughed then, turning his head to glance towards Cayde. “I was wondering when you’d show up,” He said, teeth flashing in a kind grin. “I’ve been waiting for you.” _

_ “Oh, you have, huh?” Cayde stepped closer, pulling him into a half hug, hungry for his touch and his voice. “Is that why you ran away and got yourself almost killed by the Hive?” _

_ Milo’s smile was stunning, not even faltering as Cayde spoke. “I’m so happy you found me… I’ve been waiting so long,” He turned around, lacing their fingers together as they stood face to face. “I was worried that the other you would have to kill me to get to the Tower…” _

_ The exo squeezed their hands together tightly, brows raised in concern. “I would never…” _

_ “I wouldn’t hold it against you, Cayde… The Tower is… it’s important, right?” The Guardian leaned forwards gently and knocked their foreheads together. Lips inches apart, Milo whispered, “Sometimes you have to let the people you love go, baby.” _

_ “Not you,” Cayde choked, stubborn and desperate. “Not yet, Milo.” _

_ “Don’t let our love blind you… promise, Cayde?” He urged, tilting their heads somewhat, almost as if he wanted to press a kiss to Cayde’s lips. _

_ It had been so long… _

_ Cayde leaned into it, wanting it. _

_ Milo pulled away, “Cayde.” _

_ “I promise, okay? Just… Just come here, Milo, please -” _

_ “I can’t,” Milo took a step back, towards the Tower. He trailed his fingertips across Cayde’s open palms as their hands fell to their sides, even if the exo wanted to clutch his lover closer. It was like his body was fighting him, stubbornly holding him back. “Don’t worry… I’m almost home now, Cayde. Help me, would you? I promise it’ll be okay.” _

_ “Wait, Milo -” _

_ “It’s time to wake up, Cayde.” _

“Cayde,” A calm voice spoke above him, soothing and subtly urgent. “ _ Cayde _ .”

The Hunter’s eyes flew open, blue optics peering at the mask of the Speaker above him, silhouetted like an angel. He made a strangled sound, sitting up and holding at his head as the Speaker took a step back.

“We have fixed Romea. She is awake, though a bit confused. I was thinking perhaps you could speak with her…” 

Cayde paused. He blinked once, then twice before scrambling to his feet frantically and rushing down the hall on autopilot. As he went, Cayde noted that he felt naked without his cloak, but he pushed on, rushing to the private room where they had been working on Milo and Romea nonstop. The Speaker watched him go with a tired smile on his lips. 

Hopefully, the Traveler was not yet ready to take Milo home.

Ikora was waiting for him when he came bursting into the room, putting a stern hand on his shoulder to hold him back. “Cayde,” She warned voice low, “You must be gentle. She is lost. She is weak.”

Swallowing down the jitters, Cayde nodded. “Yeah - I - yeah. I’ll be good -- is he --”

“Still lost to us. Romea hasn’t quite settled. We can’t risk overwhelming her and losing them both, forever,” Ikora lowered her hand, looking back at the bed where Milo was laid out upon. Cayde’s cloak was draped over his form, and she was not lost to the importance of it all. Hunters carried their cloak with great responsibility. It was, for many of them, their most prized possession. 

Seeing it lying protectively over Milo’s form was both touching and telling. 

She stepped aside slowly, letting Cayde walk into the room. She closed her eyes, listening to his choked gasp as he saw Romea awake and alive after what felt like eons. 

**Author's Note:**

> Part two will hopefully be up soon!!   
> I hope you all enjoyed!


End file.
